Celebration of living history

OUR LAGUNA

Richard Edgar Smith was a member of the Laguna Beach Police

Department for a couple of years in the 1930s, one of its three

officers. Abe Johnson was chief. The communications system was a

signal on top of Hotel Laguna that alerted officers to get to the

nearest telephone and call the station for instructions.

Smith, who will turn 90 on July 3, was among those to be honored

Thursday night at the annual Police Awards Banquet, part of an

extended celebration of his long life in Laguna.

“My dad moved to Laguna Beach with his mom and dad when he was 4,”

Smith’s daughter Carolyn Burris said. “He was the eldest of five --

Carl, 88, was next; then Bob, 86, Bernard, 85, and last, Betty Jean

[Dower] -- all still living.”

Laguna Beach, the oldest city in South County, did not incorporate

until 10 years after Smith’s parents, John H. and Caroline Smith,

arrived in town. They were the original owners of the Coast Inn.

“My father ran the inn until he retired about 25 years ago and the

family sold it, Burris said.

Festivities in honor of Smith’s birthday began with a party held

May 17 at the Top of the World home that he and his late wife,

Patricia Shattuck Smith, moved into in August 1948.

The home was designed by Chris Abel and built by Smith, his

brothers and his brother-in-law, Whitey Dower, at a cost of $12,000.

“The house is built on two lots,” Burris said. “My dad’s mother

bought one of the lots for $1,000, and my parents bought the other

one.” Burris, who moved back into the family home to help her elderly

parents, organized the party attended by family and friends.

The guest list included many names that would be listed in a

“Who’s Who of Laguna History:” Dick Jahraus, whose family owned

Laguna Lumber for four generations; Laguna Beach Woman’s Club member

Cossie Mechling, whose husband worked with Smith in the shipyards;

Smith’s sister-in-law, architect Liz Shattuck, 96; fourth-generation

Lagunan Jane Janz, a scion of the Isch family; Beryl Wilson, who is

related to the Rogers family who once owned a large chunk of Downtown

Laguna and recorded the family history via Cal State Fullerton’s Oral

History Program; and her daughter Carol Lloyd, great granddaughter of

Police Chief Johnson -- what goes around, comes around.

Also: Mayor Toni Iseman; Bobbie Jones and Shirley Abel, architect

Abel’s former wives; Jane Abel, his sister; Nancy and Herb Lee; Sam

and Joyce Hall; Walter and Nellis Elterman; and Keith Penner.

“The Eltermans owned the Marine Room before Kelly Boyd bought it,”

Burris said. “Kelly and I went to elementary school together, where

the swimming pool is now.”

“The surprise for dad was the old friends who came,” Burris said.

“I am hoping he will continue to hear from people he hasn’t had

contact with for years -- maybe some dinner dates where they can

reminisce.”

Neighbor Stephanie Lloyd has offered to do an oral history, an

invaluable service to the community and long overdue. Witness the

stories recounted last week at the Heritage Month program on the 25th

anniversary of the Bluebird Canyon slide -- irreplaceable.

Fortunately, the program was taped by the Laguna Beach Historical

Society.

“I have been wanting to do some oral histories, probably because

when my father died, I thought, ‘Why didn’t I tape him?’” said Lloyd,

who conducts actor’s workshops and has a studio in North Laguna

perfectly equipped for oral histories.

“We owe it to ourselves and future Laguna Beach residents to

record our beginnings and the generation that carries this

information needs to share it,” Iseman said.

Family members who attended the party included all of Smith’s

siblings and members of their families, most from out of town.

Smith’s son, Rick, and his three teenage daughters flew in from

Seattle. Smith’s daughter Melissa, drove from Nevada; Burris’

sister-in-law Stephanie Burris and daughter Micki also flew in from

Seattle. Burris’ daughter Charlene came from Santa Monica, and

daughter Marni Nogues drove from Las Vegas with her husband, three

children and a police-trained dog.

FOREVER YOUNG

The affection showered on David Young at his 90th birthday party

is a measure of what he has given to Laguna.

Family members and admirers surrounded Young and his wife, Mary,

at the party held at Tivoli Terrace.

“I am really here for the food,” joked Festival Board member Bob

Henry, who attended the buffet dinner with his wife, Annette. “The

truth is, I really admire and respect David for the career he has

enjoyed and what he has done, not only for the festival but for

Laguna.”

The late Elizabeth Quilter raised her brood just down the hill

from the Youngs in Emerald Bay.

“Mom was a good pal of both David and Mary,” Chris Quilter said.

“We got David interested in the rehabilitation of the Laguna Beach

Community Clinic when it moved from Ocean Avenue to Third Street.

That was just another of his fingerprints in town.

“I am sorry Charlie isn’t here. He is a big fan of David’s.”

Charlie would be U.S. Marine Col. Charles Quilter, supposedly

retired, who is currently serving as Marine Aviation historian of the

Iraq War.

Young’s construction company built the landmark Wells Fargo Bank

building on Ocean Avenue, but his real gifts have been to the

cultural life of Laguna. He has served almost 50 years on the board

of the Festival of Arts and was instrumental in the creation of the

art school, which is now the Laguna Beach College of Art and Design.

He became a hero to many when he opposed a festival board of

directors that wanted to move the Pageant of the Masters and the art

show to San Clemente.

He quit the board in protest, but not before helping to sever the

Festival of Arts Foundation from the festival proper. That move

protected the fund that annually contributes about $100,000 to art

students and groups.

Young returned in triumph when a new board, which vowed to keep

the pageant and festival in town, was elected in a landslide recall

vote.

* OUR LAGUNA is a regular feature of the Laguna Beach Coastline

Pilot. Contributions are welcomed. Write to Barbara Diamond, P.O. Box

248, Laguna Beach, 92652, hand-deliver to 384 Forest Ave., Suite 22;

call 494-4321 or fax 494-8979.